Exploring Possibility Connecting Creativity

CAKE 18: Innovative Women

Our 18th CAKE event will take place on International Women’s Day, celebrating the innovative work of women in the North East.

Our speakers will examine themes of participation, inclusion and intersectionality from a variety of different perspectives. We will look at the work of the Young Women’s Film Academy, who work on exciting and socially responsible film and drama projects for youth and community groups, empowering individuals to become agents of social change. We will consider the work of Be, who work to support Trans and Non-Binary people throughout the North of England through peer support, health and wellbeing events and diversity and inclusion consultancy work. Also, we will consider the role of art and poetry in social change, as Catherine Reed discusses art as a healing tool and Dianne Casey performs a new poem written in honour of International Women’s Day.

Clara Shield, Managing Director, Little Big Butterfly
Little Big Butterfly CIC is a creative not for profit organisation based in the North East of England. They deliver creative drama, film and training for all sectors, with a specialist expertise in delivering high quality intervention and engagement projects and activities for children, young people and women. Little Big Butterfly also runs the Young Women’s Film Academy, a programme to encourage girls and young women to develop skills and interests in the film industry through exploration of challenging issues. Each year the academy works with a core group of young women to explore an issue pertinent to that group through film. The Young Womens Film Academy also runs a free regular Saturday club for girls and young women aged 12+ from their base at the Good Space, Commercial Union House, Newcastle.

Tara Stone, Managing Director and Founder, Be
Tara is Manager and Victim Support and Development Lead (a Independent Sexual Violence Advisor and DVA Outreach Worker) at Be, a community development and support organisation working with gender diverse people. She also works as an independent Gender Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and as an Associate of Pride Sports. She is a member of NHS England’s Specialist Commisioning Gender Identity Programs Board and Health and Justice Sexual Assault Referral Centres Survivors and Public Voice Group, as well as being a member of the Stonewall Trans Advisory Group. She lives in Newcastle with her partner Charlotte where she enjoys running, yoga and reading.

Catherine Reed, Artist
Catherine was born in Hartlepool, North-East England but left for Uganda when she was 5 weeks old. Her family then moved to Botswana, Southern Africa where she grew up – at a time the country was surrounded by violent racist regimes. With her mother being a professional artist, Catherine has been surrounded by art all her life. Her work is heavily influenced by her life in Africa. She also paints landscapes and seascapes inspired by her love of Northern England. With her experience of battling severe depression she is a strong believer on the power of art as a healing tool and as a means to tackle the stigma of mental health illness. She is keen to use art to provide support and hope to those suffering the devastating effects of this illness.

“I work on a large and small scale using a variety of techniques and media. I love the simple act of mark making and the amazing results you can achieve from this. I am constantly searching for new approaches and effects to incorporate into my work. I am a passionate advocate of art as a means of therapy and as a mechanism to provide a voice. Art should be available to everyone”.

Special Performance by Dianne Casey, Poet

Having always loved performing arts, Dianne went on to study Drama at 16, worked briefly as an actress then worked in the Community and Voluntary sector for 20 years as a volunteer and worker. Dianne has also advised on projects throughout the UK around widening participation. She is a proud mam and nanny to six. Dianne is currently a member of the Teesside Women’s Poets (TWP) and has performed her poetry at a variety of TWP events.

Dianne will be performing a new poem written specially for the CAKE event, looking at how far women have come in the past 100 years and how far we still have to go.